d worthy man
of mild disposition yet decided Christian character. His Leah is also
a native-helper among her sex, and a chapel servant. They gave us a
friendly welcome. True, it did not occur to them to ask us to sit
down; but our Eskimoes are pleased if one takes a seat in their houses
without the asking. Jonatan's grandchild was sleeping on one of the
beds, and its young mother sat in a corner sewing. The little
harmonium by the wall belonged to her husband, who lives with his
parents. The older people thanked me for the visit, and desired their
greetings to the great teachers over the water.
Our second call was on Abraham, or more correctly "Abraha," for the
genius of the Eskimo language always requires a name to end with a
vowel. He is also an excellent and intelligent native assistant. He
and his Pauline were very pleased to see us, and expressed themselves
in the same strain as the former couple. As his harmonium and violin
show, he is very musical; indeed, he is a leading member of the Nain
choir.
Lastly we called on Matthew and his young wife. His quiet, rather shy
demeanour and humble estimate of himself, as a recently appointed
office-bearer in the congregation pleased me well. Perhaps his house
was the neatest and best furnished of the three.
I wish I could have heard Abraham or Jonathan speak at some service. I
am told their addresses correspond with their dispositions. The former
is warm, and vigorous, the latter more calm and affectionate in tone.
Matthew has yet to overcome his diffidence.
By the way, when I went over to the ship to-day. I found Abraham and
his family on board. His little two-masted smack was lying alongside
the "Harmony," ready for a start to his fishing place. It contained an
interesting variety of possessions. Tent-poles and oars lay along both
sides, and his kayak was lashed to the right gunwale. Tackle, tent,
skins, utensils, and boxes were secured in the bottom of the boat, and
in a small pen at the bows lay his seven dogs.
TWO ESKIMO GROUPS TAKEN AT NAIN.
[Illustration: A GROUP OF WIDOWS AT NAIN.]
Mr. Jannasch is the photographer among our Labrador missionaries, and
we have to thank him for some excellent pictures of persons and places
in that cold land. Copies of these may be obtained at our Agency (No.
32, Fetter Lane, London, E.C.), and we should be glad to encourage
him by a larger sale for his interesting cabinet, stereoscopic and
_carte de visite_ phot
|